Electrically-controlled switch.



" Nb. 760,988. PTENTED MAY 24, 1904.

W. H. HILLYBR.

ELEGTRIGALLY GONTROLLED SWITCH.

APPLIGATloN FILED JAN. 21. 19o3 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

.N0 MODEL.

(14110: nca.,

n.. wnsummou o c No. 760,988. PATENTED MAY'M, i904.

W. H. HILLYER.

LECTRICALLY GONTROLLED SWITCH. I

APPLmATloN FILED JAN. 21. 190s.

No MODEL. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

19K humaan UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

AELECTFZICALLY-CONTFIOLLED SFWITCH..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,988, dated May 24,`1904. A Application filed January 21,1903. Serial No. 139,987. (Nomodel.)

To `all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM HURD HILLYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta,'in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented` new and useful Improvements in Electrically ControlledSwitches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new anduseful im.- provements inelectrically-operated switches;

andits object is to provide a simple and inex- -to the cut-off arrangedupon the car.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andin which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing the relation of atrolley and the contacts therefor with the switch and also showing thecircuits connecting the same. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectionthrough the contacts and showing a trolley in position therebetween.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a trolley arranged to-b'e used inconnection with my improved switch-operating mechanism, the base of saidtrolley being shown in section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing insection my improved contact device for conductinga current from thetrolley to the top of the car. Fig. 5 is a plan`view of the switch andshowing the relation of the solenoids to the tongue thereof. Fig. 6 isan enlarged section online m w, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view of theSwitch-tongue, and Fig. 8-is a plan view of the conductor-ring.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a switch-tonguehaving a depending lug 2, which is adapted to fit within an aperture 3,formed within an armature4 at a point between the ends thereof. Thisarmature extends laterallykfrom opposite sides of the switch-tongue andis slidably mounted r within solenoids 5,which are arranged at oppositesides of the switch and are preferably fitted within boxes 6 and securedin any suitable manner thereto. As the armature is slidably mountedAwithin the solenoids. it is obvious that it will be drawn into one orthe other accordingly as they are-energized.v

The trolley-wire 7, arranged above the track upon which the switch islocated, is provided at a point in advance of the'switch with sleeves 8,formed of copper or other `conducting material, and washers 9 ofsuitable insulating material are clamped between these sleeves atsuitable intervals-and receive bolts 10,;rwhich also pass throughinsulators 11, arranged at opposite sides of the sleeves and adapted tolabut against the inner surfaces of contactplates 12 and 13. Theseplates are formed of conducting material and are securely held inposition against the outer ends of the insulators 11 by means of thesecuring-bolts 10, before'referred to. Two sets of contact-plates, asabove described, are arranged upon the trolley-wire, and one is locatedinadvance of the other. A wire 14 connects the plate 13 of one of thesets of contacts with one of the solenoids 5, while a wire 15' connectsthe yplate 12 of the other set of contacts with the remaining solenoid.

In order to operate the switch having contacts, as above described,connected'with the operating solenoids, it is necessary to provide atrolley 16 with -a contact 17 at one side thereof, which is adapted whenthe'trolley is brought into position upon one of the sleeves S tocontact with ,the plate 13 adjacent thereto. The current will thus bedirected from-the trolley-wire 7 to the trolley 16 and through contacts17 and 13 to wire 14 and the solenoid connected therewith, and as soonas said solenoid is energized the armature :4 will be drawn thereintoand swing tongue 1 upon its fulcrum. A ring 18 is clamped upon the poleof the trolley and is insulated therefrom, and the ends of this ringform a contact 19, which is adapted when-*the trolley is brought intoTOO position upon one of the sleeves 8 to bear upon the adjacentcontact-plate.` The neck 20'of the trolley-swivel 21 is secured to thedisk 22, formed of wood, vulcanite, or other insulating material, andpreferably encircled by a band 23, which protects the same from injury.A plate 24 is secured to the under surface of disk 22, and a tube 25, ofrubber or other insulating material, projects through said plate 24 andthe disk 22 and extends upward to a point upon the trolley-pole asuitable distance from the swivel 21. which extends from and iselectrically connected with the contact 19, and the lower end of saidwire is soldered o'r otherwise secured to aplug 27, which extends fromthe lower endof tube 25 and is provided at its outer end with acontact-button 28. A bow-spring 29 incloses the plug at a point abovethe button, and the ends thereof bear upon the plate 24. A ring 30 ispreferably arranged upon the lower end rof tube-25 and serves to clampsaid tube upon the plug 27, and thereby retain the plug in positiontherein. Spring 29 is adapted to hold the button 28 at all times incontact with a ring 31, arranged upon the top 32a of the car upon whichthe trolley is mounted, and saidl ring is concentric with the swivelneckof the trolley. This ring is formed of conducting materialand isconnected, bymeans of a wire 32, with a switch 33, located upon the carat a point within convenient reach of the motorman. This switch is alsoconnected, by means of a wire 34, to the motor of the car, which iselectrically connected with the trolley-pole bya wire 36 in the usualmanner. The ring 31 may be provided with a groove 35 in one face thereoffor the reception of the wire 32.

When a car approaches the switch and it is desired to go to the left,the switch 33 is shifted to the left by the motor-man at any time priorto the arrival of the car at a point below the contact-plates 12 and 13.When the trolley reaches these contacts, it will pass between the firstset, and contact 17 will be promptly brought against plate 13 and thecircuit established from the trolley to wire 14 and its solenoid, asbefore described, and the switchtonguewillbeswungtotheleft. Astheswitch33 when moved to the left by the motorman closes the circuit between thewires 26 and 34, it is obvious that as soon as the trolley passesbetween the second set of contacts 12 and 13 the'contact 19 will bearupon plate 12 and a circuit will be promptly established from thetrolley-pole through wire 36, the motor, wires 34 and 26, the contacts19 and 12, and wire 15,V and the solenoid connected to said wire willbeenergized and draw the armature toward it, thereby shifting the tongue 1to the right and opening the track to the left. As the two sets ofcontacts 12 and 13 are removed from solenoids will not be energized atthe same This tube contains a wire 26,'

time. When it is desired to travel to the right of the switch, thecloser 33 is shifted to the right, and when contact 17 of the trolley isbrought against the contact-plate 1.3 tongue 1 will be shifted to theleft by the energized solenoid connected to wire 14, and when thetrolley passes between the second set of contactplates 12 and 13 theother solenoid will be unaffected in View of the fact that the contact19 has been thrown out of circuit with wire 34 by the circuit-closer 33.

It will of course be understood that a groundwire 37 extends from eachof the solenoids 5 to complete the circuit with the trolley-wire 7.

It will be seen that this device is extremely simple and ycan be readilyAused in connection with the trolley systems now in use, and by meansthereof the motorman, conductor, orf

other authorized person upon a car may readily swing the tongue of theswitch in any desired direction without stopping or leaving the car.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; butI do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve theright to make such changes as fairly fall within thelscope of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-l 1. Inan electrically-operated switch, the

combination withv a switch-tongue, an armature connected therewith, andoppostely-disposed solenoids adapted to receive the armatures; ofcontact-plates arranged atopposite sides of the trolley-wire, electricalconnections between said contact-plates and their respective solenoids,a trolley adapted to conduct a current from the trolley-wireto one ofsaid contacts, and means whereby the current maybe conducted through thetrolley and a motor connected therewith to the other contact.

2. In' an electrically-operated switch, the combination with a tongue,an armature connected therewith, and solenoids arranged at oppositesides ofl the tongue and adapted to receive the armature; of contacts atopposite sides ofa trolley-wire and electrically connected to theirrespective solenoids, a trolley for conducting a current from saidwirerto either of the contacts, said trolley having a contact at oneside thereof and electrically connected therewith, a contact extendingfrom the opposite side and insulated therefrom, a disk secured to thetrolley and revoluble therewith, a stationary ring below the disk, amovable electrical connection between said insulated contact and thering, and means whereby the current may be conducted from the trolley toa motor and the ring, the two contacts on the trolley being adapted tobear upon the respective contact-plates.

3. In a switch of the character described, a circuit-closing trolleyhaving a contact extend- TOO IIO

ing from one side thereof and integral therewith, acontact extendingfrom the opposite side and insulated therefrom, a disk secured to thetrolley and revoluble therewith, a stationary contact-ring below saiddisk, a button slidably mounted thereon and depending from the disk,means for holding the button. normally in contact with the ring, and anelectrical connection between said button and the insulated contact.

4. In a switch of the character described, a circuit-closing trolleyhaving a Contact extending from one side thereof and integraltherewith., a ring secured to the trolley and insulated therefrom, acontact extending from the ring, a disk secured to and revoluble withthe trolley, a stationary contact-ring 'below the disk, a tube extendingthrough the disk from the trolley, a plug therein, a button upon theplug slidably mounted on the contact-ring, a spring for holding thebutton normally in contact with the ring, and a wire within the tubeconnecting the plug with the insulated contact.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses. fWILLIAM HURD HILLYER.

Witnesses:

Gr. N. KELLOGG,

E. M. ROBERTS.

